The Heading (Psalms 56:1 a).
‘For the Chief Musician; set to Yonath elem rehokim (‘the silent dove of far off places (or ‘men')'). A Psalm of David. Michtam; when the Philistines took him in Gath.
This is another Psalm dedicated to the Choirmaster or Chief Musician (the head of music). A Michtam may signify ‘a covering' and thus a plea for protection (from the Akkadian katamu (‘to cover'). It has also been interpreted as ‘a golden Psalm' (from chetem = ‘gold'). Michtam occurs also in reference to Psalms 16; Psalms 56-60. The tune ‘silent doves of far off places (or ‘far off men') may originally have been the music composed for a Psalm celebrating the cultic releasing of birds to fly off to far off places (Leviticus 14:5-7). Or alternately of a Psalm celebrating escape from the turmoils of life (compare Psalms 55:6). The situation in life is described as being when the Philistines seized David in Gath (1 Samuel 21:10 ff.). At this time he had fled from Israel, possibly alone, and had taken refuge with Achish of Gath (that is in territory ruled by Achish) hoping to be unrecognised. But there he was challenged as to whether he was the successful Israelite commander who had had great successes against the Philistines. Being brought before Achish he escaped whatever fate might have been in store for him by feigning madness, subsequently fleeing back to Adullam where he built up his own fighting force.
Accepting the provenance stated it would appear that, having arrived in Gath after fleeing from the persecutions of Saul (Psalms 56:1-2), and hoping to be unnoticed, David's footsteps were dogged by suspicious Philistines (Psalms 56:6). They clearly challenged him as to who he was (Psalms 56:5) refusing to accept his assurances, or that he was there in peace, and thus determined evil against him. The Psalm may well have been written while he was waiting for them to pounce, and praying in anticipation, with the final verses of the Psalm indicating that he had prayed through to a position of certainty concerning YHWH's deliverance, even though it was yet future.
The Psalm stresses the Psalmist's trust in God (Psalms 56:3-4; Psalms 56:10-11) and the powerful enemies whom he is facing (Psalms 56:1 a, Psalms 56:2; Psalms 56:5), and can be divided up into four parts:
A plea for God's protection (Psalms 56:1-4).
A description of his enemies tactics as they close in on him (Psalms 56:5-7).
· An expression of his trust in God in the face of his enemies (Psalms 56:8-11).
· An expression of his gratitude for his deliverance (Psalms 56:12-13).
A Plea For God's Protection (Psalms 56:1-4).
‘Show favour to me, O God, for a human ('enosh) would swallow me up,
All the day long his fighting oppresses me.'
My enemies would swallow me up all the day long,
For they are many who fight haughtily (on high) against me.'
These verses may refer to the circumstances which forced David to flee to Gath, and thus be speaking of Saul's attempts on his life. Alternately they may have in mind the attempts by the Philistines to seek him out whilst he was in hiding in a Philistine city.
Taking the first, and more probable alternative in view of the language, he calls on God for favour in view of the fact that a mere earthly man is seeking to swallow him up. He emphasises the continual attempts by his enemy (Saul or his erstwhile friend - Psalms 55), along with his men, to oppress him and ‘swallow him up' (repeated twice for emphasis). These attempts have been occurring continually ‘all the day long' (repeated twice for emphasis). He has never been able to relax. For his enemies are numerous and are behaving arrogantly towards him. They have set themselves up ‘on high'.
The repetitions stress how strongly he feels his situation, and how harassed he feels, as well he might for he has moved from being a power in the land to being a lone fugitive. But he is still confident in God, for whilst his enemies might think much of themselves, he recognises that they are mere humans.
Note the twofold patterns. ‘A human' (line 1) contrasts with the fact that they have set themselves up ‘on high' (line 4). All the day long (line 2) parallels ‘all the day long' (line 3). There is a chiastic pattern. But ‘swallow me up' occurs in lines 1 and 3, and ‘fighting' occurs in lines 2 and 4. So there is also a consecutive pattern.
The time when I am afraid,
I will put my trust in you.'
In God, I will praise his word,
In God have I put my trust,
I will not be afraid, what can flesh do to me?'
He assures God of how much he trusts in Him (repeated twice). When he is afraid it is to God that he will look, and as a consequence he will not be afraid. And this is because he has full confidence in Him. He had cause to be afraid, for the hand of Saul, and every man's hand was against him. And even now as a fugitive in Gath he was in enemy territory. The Philistines had no cause to love him either. So he was beset on every side. But he was confident that God was greater than them all, and that He would help him. Why then should he be afraid. After all his enemies were merely flesh. On the other hand God was God, and he trusted Him and praised His promised word (possibly the word spoken to him by Samuel). Compare for this Psalms 56:10.
Note again the chiastic pattern. ‘Afraid' in lines 1 and 5. ‘Put my trust' in lines 2 and 4. ‘In God' in lines 3 and 4.